Vintage Whitney Wolverine vs Olympics Arms Whitney Wolverine

Hedrin · Sep 10, 2015

I have one of the new Olympic Arms WW and may be trading for a vintage one in the near future.

Do we know if the newer grips and magazines available for the OAWW will fit the vintage WW? When you look at the exploded parts view from the old and new manuals, the parts look nearly identical, just some are positioned slightly differently.

OcelotZ3 · Sep 14, 2015

The magazine of the vintage will fit into the new one. I suspect the reverse is true. But the new mags are cheap plastic, which is why I used the old mag in the new one. No feed problems using the vintage mag.

Hedrin · Sep 15, 2015

Weird. My OOWW magazine has a plastic baseplate and follower, but the shaft itself is metal, cheap metal, but metal. An early version?

OcelotZ3 · Sep 18, 2015

Perhaps. I contacted OA about the old mag working in the new gun but not theirs, and they said "we haven't seen any issues". But if they changed it from plastic to metal, apparently they had. Not surprised to be lied to by them.

Hedrin · Sep 19, 2015

I'm sorry to hear you've had problems. For me it has been a fun little shooter. The only ammo I ever had problem with was some ultra cheap federal that jammed in everything but my revolver.

OcelotZ3 · Sep 20, 2015

I'll have to look at ordering a new-new magazine from OA to see if it's better. Thanks for mentioning that the mag design is now metal. I suspect it's the metal lips at the top that are working better than the plastic lips on the OA mags I have.

I have an original Whitney Wolverine that I've never had a single problem with (except nearly losing parts when taking it down!). The new OA one is a jam-o-matic with pretty much all ammunition and both of the original OA magazines. It runs flawlessly using original Whitney magazines. Hence my call to them.

Hedrin · Sep 22, 2015

I know six people who either own or have owned an Olympic WW. I've asked around and none of them ever had an all plastic mag. Are you sure you're not thinking of the Mountain Eagle/Ram-Line?

(PS, if anyone has an extra Mountain Eagle/Ram-Line mag in unbroken condition that they don't want an arm and a leg for, PM me!)

OcelotZ3 · Sep 23, 2015

You are probably right, I'm thinking of another gun's magazine. But the old mag working in the new model is a correct memory.

Hedrin · Sep 24, 2015

WARNING! UGLY GUN ALERT!

From Magnum Research, the people who brought you the Dessert Eagle, that plastic wonder, the Mountain Eagle. With its plastic magazine. Halfway wondering if someone could 3d scan and print these? I recently paid $150 to add this piece of tactical Tupperware to my .22 collection. Problem is, the plastic the mags are made of are getting more and more brittle every year. They crack and break off at the feeding lip while shooting. I've seen these going for $65-$125 for just a mag. WTF? I only paid $150 for the whole gun!

Hedrin · Dec 11, 2015

Just picked up the vintage and here is my first thought... I paid too much. I've heard of the Wolverine being described as a "tackle box" or "truck" guns, where you chuck it and it rattles around. I can only assume that happened to this poor firearm. Structurally sound, but filthy. Whenever it was last shot, it was put away dirty and stayed that way. The photographer was smart about his camera angles and not showing some of its problems.

However, that said, I'm not unhappy. In a way I feel sorry for this gun, and after a field strip, A soak of some of the worst offenders in half a small bottle of Hoppes, a stack of cleaning pads, and a thin coat of oil later, it now cycles without feeling like it was packed full of rice crispies.

First thing. Vintage magazine fits in modern WW. A bit snug, but it fits. Modern magazine will NOT engage in vintage WW. It falls back out as soon as I let loose of it. Bummer.

Secondly, the right grip on both guns has only one hole, but the modern WW has two on the left, while the vintage only has one. Which grip is broken on mine? The left of course. Holes apparently in the same places, but cannot test as apparently I don't own the correct size of allen wrench to remove the grips from the modern WW.

Thirdly, showed it to an OLD friend of mine and he reminded me we had been playing with the Wolverine years ago as kids. Wish I still had it, but I found this pic online... Poof! Mind blown.

Probably can't get the to the range until after new years. I'll post more then.